Just moments after the toss in the third Test between India and New Zealand in Bombay, Ravi Shastri started chatting about Sri Lanka’s chances in the World Test Championship. Dinesh Karthik chimed in, noting how under Head Coach Sanath Jayasuriya, the team has turned things around remarkably.
Indeed, it’s been a phoenix rising from the ashes for the Sri Lankans. They were at the bottom of the barrel at the start of the year after losing the two-Test series to Pakistan at home. Not many gave them a snowball’s chance in hell to be in the hunt by the end of 2024. But by playing some remarkable cricket both home and away, they’ve turned the tide.
Although five teams are in contention to play the finals of the WTC, in reality, it’s a three-horse race. India have made life difficult for themselves after losing the series to New Zealand on home soil. If they are to have any chance, Rohit Sharma’s side needs to win the ongoing Bombay Test and clinch three Tests in Australia, which is easier said than done. They might still keep their heads above water by winning two Tests Down Under and hoping other results go their way. But if they can’t beat New Zealand in Bombay, they’re up the creek without a paddle.
As for New Zealand, a clean sweep over India will boost their chances, but they still have to win two of the three Tests at home against England. On the smaller grounds of New Zealand, against a side happy to play Bazball, that’s going to be a tough row to hoe.
South Africa, like Sri Lanka, found momentum at the tail end of the cycle. Left with four home Tests, they’ll be fancying their chances but still need to win three of those four remaining games against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
Australia, you could say, are sitting pretty among the five teams still in the running, with five of their remaining Tests scheduled to be played on home turf.
For Sri Lanka, the equation is as clear as day. They need to win three of their remaining four games and could still make the cut by winning only two. The huge advantage for them is that the two Tests against Australia will be played in Galle. That’s the perfect scenario given their strengths. Prabath Jayasuriya’s record in Galle, where he averages 21 and has eight five-wicket hauls in eight Tests, is nothing short of stunning.
Furthermore, with the South Africa Tests taking place in Durban and Port Elizabeth, they’ll fancy their chances. Those are the two slowest wickets in South Africa, and it’s where they won in 2019 to become the first Asian team to win a Test series there.
One could say the scheduling has been tailor-made for the Sri Lankans, and now they just need to bring their A-game to cross the finish line. Another reason to be excited about Sri Lanka’s chances is that some of the young guns they’ve been unearthing lately have been sensational.
Pathum Nissanka stunned England, winning Sri Lanka their first Test in that country, while Kamindu Mendis last month equaled Sir Don Bradman, becoming the third quickest batsman to reach the 1,000-run mark.
They’ve done some remarkable stuff with the bat, and of course, Sri Lanka always have the big three to count on – Dimuth Karunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal, and Angelo Mathews.
With Kusal Mendis helping to balance the side at number seven, Sri Lanka have got their combination right and are threatening to do something special.
Quick Asitha Fernando has also bowled some impressive spells. In fact, all of them—Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, and Milan Ratnayake—had their moments in England this summer.
The only fly in the ointment is that Sri Lanka will be heading to the Test series in South Africa without a warm-up game. Scheduling is so tight in international cricket these days that there’s hardly any time to play warm-ups.
But the silver lining is that Sri Lanka will be sending the Test specialists to South Africa early to get acclimatized to the conditions. While the Test specialists will go ahead, the multi-format players like Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis, and Pathum Nissanka will join the party after the limited-overs series against New Zealand.
Sri Lanka have made steady progress in rankings in recent times, and the team management seems keen to keep climbing the ladder. Consistent performances in Test cricket have seen them rise to number five, while they are currently ranked number six in ODIs. A series sweep will help them swap places with fifth-ranked New Zealand.
Hence, it makes sense to retain all your leading white-ball players for the home series. As for Kamindu Mendis, you’re not sure whether he believes in warm-ups anyway. He arrived in England late this year, missed the warm-up game in Worcester, played the first Test at Old Trafford, and scored a stunning hundred in overcast conditions.
A repeat of that in Durban will help Sri Lanka book their flights to Heathrow next June.
